Prince William is speaking out in a rare new interview to reveal the devastating impact that cancer has had on his family.
William Talks Royal Cancer Battles
Last year, William’s wife Kate Middleton and his father King Charles were both diagnosed with unspecified forms of cancer. William, 43, discussed this while being interviewed on Apple TV+’s “The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy.”
“We’ve been very lucky,” William began. “We hadn’t had many illnesses in the family for a very long time. My grandparents lived until they were in the high nineties.”
This was a reference to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. The Queen died in September of 2022 at the age of 96. Her husband Philip died one year before, in April of 2021, at the age of 99.
“They were the vision of fitness, and stoicism, and resilience, if you like. So we’ve been very lucky as a family,” William continued. “But I think, when you suddenly realize that the rug, if you were, the metaphorical rug, can be pulled from under your feet quite quick at any point.”
“You maybe think to yourself, ‘It won’t happen to us, we’ll be OK.’ Because I think everyone has a positive outlook, you’ve got to be positive,” he added. “But when it does happen to you, then it takes you into some pretty not-great places.”
Royal Cancer Diagnoses
In February of 2024, Buckingham Palace announced that the King had been diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer. He began treatment immediately, and that treatment continues to this day.
One month later, Kate, 43, announced that she had been diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer. This came two months after she underwent abdominal surgery. Thankfully, the mom of three announced earlier this year that her cancer was in remission.
“I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to The Royal Marsden for looking after me so well during the past year,” Kate wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “My heartfelt thanks goes to all those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything.”
“We couldn’t have asked for more,” she continued. “The care and advice we have received throughout my time as a patient has been exceptional. In my new role as Joint Patron of The Royal Marsden, my hope is, that by supporting groundbreaking research and clinical excellence, as well as promoting patient and family wellbeing, we might save many more lives, and transform the experience of all those impacted by cancer.”
“It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery,” Kate concluded. “As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to. Thank you to everyone for your continued support.”
The ‘Hardest’ Of Times For The Royals
In his latest interview, William admitted that these were the “hardest” of times for the royal family.
“I’d say ‘23-’24 was the hardest year I’ve ever had,” William stated. “You know, life is sent to test us and being able to overcome that is what makes us who we are.”
Check out William’s full comments on this in the video below.
This serves as a reminder that the British royal family really is human just like any other family is. Indeed, nearly every family in the world has sadly been touched by cancer in some way, and the royal family is no exception.
Please join us in saying a prayer for the continued good health of Kate, and for the King as he continues his cancer battle!